Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-17
CATARRH.

THE TERM CATARRH is APPLIED TO A
l. peculiar disorder of the nostrils and ad-
jacent parts, which prevails to an alarming
extent, and is productive of very serious
consequences
The most prominent and characterist
feature is a morbid discharge from the head
varying in its nature at different times
In some there is an almost constant flow
OF clear, aCrid fluid, but oftener an offensive,
purulent or mucO-purulent, greenish- yellow
matter is secreted, which accumulates in
| the nOstrils or drops into the throat, neces-
| stating its frequent removal by blowing the
nose or eXpectoration, and often by both
processes. Sometimes patients feel as
| though their head was in state of rotten
ness, so great is the amount of matter dis
| charged and SO fetid is it's odor. The pa
tient is greatly annoyed by the constant
| dropping into the throat of the mos bid
| matter from the head, and as a recumbent
position naturally favors the flow downward
cause. Many sufferers are obliged to lie 18th
| the head very much elevated in order to
sleep with some degree OF comfort.
In Others tough, ,viscid and offensive
| palate, in the passage between the throat and
| head, adhering to the parts with guish tenac-
| lty. Its lodgment embarrasses respiration
| and creates n sensation of irritation and nm
easiness in the affected locality, which gives
| rise to a constant and almost irresistible de-
sire to relieve that discomfort by drawing
the mucus into the throat so as to eject it by
| the mouth. This practice, popularly known
| as hawking" is characteristic of catarrh,
| and proves as embarrassing to the one af-
fected as 1t is disagreeable to those around
| him.
| Again, the offensive matter hardens and
| deposits itself on the mem brane in the shape
of dry. hard concretions. which are dis
| charged by way of the nostrils or throat in
| Jumps or fragments of deep green tint. In
| some cases these incrustations accumulate
| to such an extent as to form a regular plug
| in the nose, which obstructs breathing and
| produce serious discomfort So firmly do
| these incrustatiOns adhere to the point of
| attachment that their removal usually re-
| qulres the most violent efforts; not unfre-
| quently they have to be torn from the men,
| brane. Occasionally a solid cast OF notable
| size is expelled, on which there are gems rally
| traces of blood, but in some cases the cast
presents tubular appearance, being of exact
shape OF the nasal cavity. This condition is
indicative of liberation, which, in time,
may destroy the bOny structure of the nose
and produce subsequent fattening of that
| organ.
| Cases are occasionally met with in which
| a thick, visCid, Shiny secretion coats the
| membrane of the nasal cavities and then
putSefies, giving rise to a stencil which is
| realty overpowering, and sufficiently fetid
to poison the atmosphere of whole room;
| and there are others in which all the secre-
| tiOns of the membrane are suspended, caus-
ing an unpleasant feeling of dryness, heat
and feverfshness in the head and nose-a
condition popularly known as DRY
| Catarrh."
The disease speedily extends to the air
| face, giving rise to dist essing sensation of
| heavy weight or compression over the fore
head, especially in the region above and be-
| tween the eyes, and to a feeling OF fulness.
| heat, irritation, sore ness or pai in the nos
| trils near the root of the. nose, as well as in
| the upper part of the throat, above and be.
hind the soft palate. Sometimes there is
| pain obstinately fixed in some particular
| part, as in the temple, on the top of the
head, at the back of the neck, or behind the
| orbits, and, occasionally, pain manifests
itself in the face of so severe character
that it is frequently mistaken for neuralgia.
| The breath is always tainted, and at times
assumes an exceeding fetid and sickening
| odor. In some cases it becomes so revolt
| 1ngly offensive as to render the sufferer an
| object of disgust to himself as well as to
| others.
The nasal membrane is thickened and
contested, causing the nose to be stopped up,
| sometimes on one side, sometimes on the
| other, and often on both, giving rise to a
| disagreeable, stutfy sensation in the head,
| and occasioning violent and prolonged
parOXySms OF sneeZing.
The voice is weak, Indistinct and husky.
| or OF nasal character, displaying a sort of
| shifting quality. Oftentimes there is IL con-
tlnuous hoarseness and discordance; There
| is also sense OF irritation in the part,
| and frequent attempts to clear the throat of
| phlegm, producing the sound "hem," more
or less forcibly. In some cases patients
|
| fullness, or a choky sensation in the throat,
| and in others of a distressing and almost
| constant dryness, for the temporary relief OF
which they have to swallow frequently
| others; again, speak OF Il constant bad or
| nauseous taste in the mouth or throat.
The stomach generally suffers more or less
and becomes weak and irritable: the appe-
| tlte is capricious and nearly always bad in
| the morning The patient is anguid unable
| to perform mental or physical labor with
| the usual facility, is nervous, depressed in
spirits, at tines fearful, timid, agitated and
Inclined to drowsiness and sleep, the mem
| ory weakened and permanent impairment
seriously threatened.
The mucous membrane soon becomes
mOrbidly sensitive to unfavorable intu-
cnces, and in spite of the utmost care be-
comes affected from the slightest causes, SO
that at last a breath of wind upon the lining
OF the nose or throat becomes productive OF
cold, and gives rise to serious disturbances
OF the respiratory organs. Thus the patient
is subject to frequent and repeated colds,
each attack aggravating the disease by CIV
ing 1t new impulse and involving larger
extent of surface than its predecessor. In
this manner the difficulty spreads from Or
gan to organ, invading the throat, larnyx,
trachea and bronchial tubes, until, en-
croaching further and further. it reaches
the finer qualifications of the bronchi, when
bat u slight impulse is required to send it to
the the lungs Catarrh may, and and, often does,
those contain ng a mucous mem brane, such
| as the stomach, bowels, kidneys, etc.
By the employment OF proper 1nhalatOns
in the form of medicated vapor mot steam
or spray) we are able to produce immediate
and direct action upon the diseased surface
In the pharynx and nasal passages, for air
will find its way into the most remote and
intricate cavities, where it is utterly impos-
sible TO make fluid applications. By these
means every case can be cured.
Persons desiring treatment by this system
of practice can use the remedy at home as
well as at our office, and which will cause
no inconvenience or hindrance to business
whatever.
have seen so many OF these cases cured
that do not consider any case hopeless un-
less the disease has advanced to the chest
and that both lungs are seriously involved.
Even then the inhalations aid us in dis.
solving the mucus and in contracting ana
healing the cavities, which nothing else can
do with the same success The very best